Method and apparatus for reducing the time required to acquire a GPS signal

ABSTRACT

A method of correlating a digital communications signal is described. In an example, a window is defined equal to a portion of an epoch of the digital communication signal. The digital communication signal is then correlated across the window. A determination is made as to whether a correlation peak results from the correlating. Timing parameters are then established for receiving additional digital communication signals in response to presence of the correlation peak.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to digital signal correlation techniques.In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatusfor reducing the time required to acquire a Global Position System(“GPS”) signal.

2. Description of the Background Art

The process of measuring a global positioning system (GPS) signal beginswith a procedure to search for the GPS signal in the presence of noiseby attempting a series of correlations of the incoming signal against aknown pseudo-random noise (PRN) code. The search process can be lengthy,as both the frequency of the signal and the time-of-arrival delay areunknown. To find the signal, receivers traditionally conduct a twodimensional search, checking each delay possibility at a variety ofpossible frequencies. To test for the presence of a signal at aparticular frequency and delay, the receiver is tuned to the frequency,and the incoming signal is correlated with the known PRN code delayed byan amount corresponding to an estimated time of arrival. If no signal isdetected, the search continues to the next delay possibility, and afterall delay possibilities are checked, continues to the next frequencypossibility. Each individual correlation is performed over one or moremilliseconds in order to allow sufficient signal averaging todistinguish the signal from the noise. Because many thousands offrequency and delay possibilities are tested, the overall acquisitionprocess can take tens of seconds. This search technique is repeated forthe signal from each satellite needed to calculate a position and timeresult, e.g., five satellite signals.

In an effort to reduce the search time required to achieve a positionlocation solution, various techniques have been explored that provideaiding information to the GPS receiver. The aiding information generallyprovides satellite ephemeris as well as an estimate of the receiver'sposition. The aiding information is generally coupled to the GPSreceiver via a wireless network.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,874, the GPS receiver acquires a GPS signal froma first GPS satellite using a conventional search technique as describedabove. A first pseudorange to the first GPS satellite is computed usingthis conventional technique. The GPS receiver then uses the aidinginformation (e.g., the satellite position, time of day and receiverapproximate position) in combination with the first pseudorange toestimate the pseudorange to the next satellite. This combination ofinformation enables the search range (time range) to be substantiallyreduced for each additional satellite signal. The signals from eachsatellite are sequentially processed in this manner until enoughsatellite signals are received to compute the position of the GPSreceiver.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,078, a GPS receiver obtains ephemeris informationand a server calculates predicted PRN code shift positions based on aknown location and the ephemeris data. A reduced functionality GPSreceiver within a cellular telephone receives a time reference and thensearches a limited number of PRN code shift positions for each of aplurality of GPS satellites based on the predicted PRN code shiftpositions. If a time reference is not transmitted to the reducedfunctionality GPS receiver, a PRN code shift position for a firstsatellite signal is measured by searching all possible PRN code shiftpositions. The measured PRN code shift position for the first satellitesignal is then used to reduce the range of possible PRN code shiftpositions for remaining satellite signals.

The technique of U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,874 requires a pseudorange to becomputed with respect to the first satellite. In a low signal to noiseratio environment, such a computation may require an excessive amount oftime to achieve as many correlations as required to accurately computethe pseudorange. In addition, microprocessor time must be spent tocompute the pseudorange. The technique of U.S. Pat. No 6,070,078requires a time reference to reduce the search range for GPS signals. Ifa time reference is unavailable, the technique of U.S. Pat. No.6,070,078 requires all delay possibilities for a first satellite signalto be searched. Again, in a low signal to noise ratio environment, sucha computation may require an excessive amount of time to search alldelay possibilities in order to accurately acquire the first satellitesignal.

Therefore, there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus thatreduces the amount of time required to acquire GPS satellite signals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a method and apparatus for reducing the timerequired to acquire GPS satellite signals. The method defines a windowequal a portion of a predefined time period, correlates the GPS signalacross the window, and identifies whether a correlation peak resultsfrom the correlating. In one embodiment, the predefined time period isan epoch, and the window is a portion of the epoch. If a correlationpeak is not found in the current window, then one or more additionalwindows are selected within the remaining portion of the predefined timeperiod and searched for the correlation peak until the correlation peakis found. The time estimate used to determine the correlation is used tocorrelate GPS signals from other GPS satellites.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

So that the manner in which the above recited features of the inventionare attained and can be understood in detail, a more particulardescription of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had byreference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in theappended drawings.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlytypical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to beconsidered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to otherequally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 depicts prior a block diagram of an object locating system;

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an embodiment of GPS circuitry used inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an embodiment of the method used inaccordance with the invention; and

FIG. 4 depicts a graph of various signals processed by an embodiment ofthe present invention.

To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have beenused, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common tothe figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts a block diagram of a location system 100. The system 100illustratively uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) 101 (or othersimilar satellite position location system) having a plurality ofsatellites 102 orbiting the earth. The system 100 comprises a referencestation network 115 comprising a plurality of geographically dispersedreference stations where each reference station comprises fixed site GPSreceivers 110 ₁ through 110 _(n) (collectively fixed site GPS receiver110), an aiding server 120 with software that executes GPS signalprocessing algorithms 142, and at least one mobile device 130. Themobile device 130 is coupled to, or otherwise associated with, an objectthat is to be located, e.g., mobile object 131 including personalassets, equipment, persons and the like. The mobile device 130communicates with the aiding server 120 via a wireless carrier 114(e.g., a cellular telephone network). Each reference station 110 furthercomprises a conventional GPS receiver 112 ₁ through 112 _(n)(collectively conventional GPS receivers 112). For example, for a globalnetwork, the network may comprise just a few stations to observe allsatellites at all times. Each of the conventional GPS receivers 112 iscoupled to the aiding server 120 via a network communications link 103.

The aiding server 120 receives the satellite information from referencestation network 115 and processes the information. The processedinformation generally contains ephemeris, long term satellite orbitdata, or other satellite tracking data. Some or all of the processedinformation, known as aiding information, is coupled to the wirelesscarrier 114 for transmission to the mobile device 130.

The aiding server 120 provides the mobile device 130 with the aidinginformation such that the mobile device can compute its position. Themobile device 130 contains a wireless communications transceiver 140that enables the receiver to communicate with the aiding server 120through the wireless carrier 114. The wireless carrier communicates withthe server through a conventional communication network 111.

As discussed below, the device 130 comprises a wireless transceiver 140,a GPS receiver front end 134, and a GPS signal processor 138. In oneembodiment, the GPS signal processor 138 includes a parallel GPS signalcorrelator and associated software to perform various algorithmsdescribed below. One embodiment of such a correlator is described inco-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/861,086, filed May 18,2001, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

In one embodiment, the mobile device 130 receives aiding information(e.g., aiding data that provides one or more of satellite ephemeris, thecoefficients of a pseudorange model, Doppler information, and estimatedposition of the device 130) from the aiding server 120 through thewireless link 109, determines a position estimate for the mobile device130, receives GPS satellite signals, and processes the GPS signals. Themobile device 130 uses the processed GPS signals and the aidinginformation to compute its location. In an alternative embodiment, thedevice 130 provides the processed GPS signals to the wireless carrier114 which transmits the processed signals to the aiding server 120. Theaiding server 120 uses an optional position processor 142 to furtherprocess the GPS signals from the device 130 to determine the device'slocation. A location requestor 122 can then request the receiver'slocation through a number of communications paths 105, e.g., dial upaccess, Internet access, wired land line and the like. The locationrequester can also be the user of the mobile device 130. In variousembodiments described herein, the location can be displayed at themobile device 130 and/or communicated through the wireless carrier 114to the server 120.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of a global positioning system (GPS)receiver 200 incorporating the present invention. The use of a GPSreceiver 200 as the platform within which the invention is incorporatedforms one application of the invention. Other platforms that requiresignal correlation may find use for the present invention.

The receiver 200 comprises a GPS front end 134 and a GPS basebandprocessor 138. The GPS front end 134 comprises a radio-frequency tointermediate frequency (RF/IF) converter 204 and an analog-to-digitalconverter (A/D) 206. The front end 134 is coupled to an antenna 202 thatis adapted to receive GPS signals from GPS satellites. Theradio-frequency-to-intermediate-frequency converter (RF/IF converter)204 filters, amplifies, and frequency shifts the signal for digitizationby the analog-to-digital converter (A/D) 206. The elements 202, 204 and206 are substantially similar to those elements used in conventional GPSor assisted GPS receivers.

The GPS baseband processor 138 comprises a plurality of processingchannels 208 and a microcontroller 222. Each processing channel 208comprises a tuner 210, a carrier numerically controlled oscillator (NCO)212, a decimation circuit 214, a code NCO 216, a plurality ofcorrelators 218, a clock 250, and a summer 220. The output of the A/D206 is coupled to each of the processing channels 208 ₁, 208 ₂, . . .208 _(n) (where n is an integer) implemented in digital logic. Eachprocessing channel 208 _(n) may be used to process the signal from aparticular GPS satellite. The signal in a particular channel is tuneddigitally by the tuner 210, driven by the carrier NCO 212. The tuner 210serves two purposes. First, the IF frequency component remaining afterRF/IF conversion is removed to produce a baseband or near-basebandsignal. Second, the satellite Doppler frequency shift resulting fromsatellite motion, user motion, and reference frequency errors isremoved. The output from the tuner is a baseband (or near baseband)signal consisting of an in-phase component (I) and a quadraturecomponent (Q).

A decimation circuit 214 processes the output of the tuner 210. Theoutput of the decimation circuit 214 is a series of complex signalsamples with I and Q components, output at a rate precisely timed tomatch the timing of the input signal. In one embodiment of theinvention, the decimation operation is a simple pre-summer that sums allthe incoming signal samples over the period of an output sample. Anumerically controlled oscillator (NCO) 216 is used to time the samplingprocess. For example, if two samples per chip of the C/A code isdesired, the code NCO 216 is set to generate a frequency of (2 ×f_(s)),where f_(s) is f_(o). (the GPS signal's C/A code chipping rate),adjusted for Doppler shift. The NCO 216 adjusts for Doppler shift basedon external input from firmware commands. Because the Doppler shift isdifferent for each satellite, a separate code NCO 216 and decimationcircuit 214 is required for each channel 208 _(n). It should be notedthat there is no requirement that the incoming sample rate be an integermultiple of the f_(s), as the code NCO 108 is capable of generating anarbitrary frequency. If the decimation circuit 214 is a pre-summer, thenumber of samples summed will typically toggle between two values, sothat over the long term, the correct sample timing is maintained. Forexample, if the incoming sample rate is 10 MHz, and the desired samplerate is 2.046 MHz, the pre-summer will add either 4 or 5 samples, sothat the desired sample rate is maintained on average.

The decimation circuit 214 may also include a quantizer (not shown) atits output to reduce the number of bits in the signal components beforefurther processing. In one embodiment of the invention, 2-bitquantization is used.

The signal samples from decimation circuit 214 are coupled tocorrelators 218 ₁-218 _(n) (hereinafter “correlators 218”). Each ofcorrelators 218 is designed to produce a correlation between the inputsignal and a reference code (the PRN code). The reference code suppliedto each of correlators 218 is shifted by one one-half “chip” of the GPSPRN code. As is well known in the art, the correlator 218 having theinput signal and PRN code aligned will have a high correlation output,all the other correlators will have no output signal. The summer 220sums all the outputs together such that if a high correlation occurs inany one of the correlators, an output signal will result from the summer220. The output of the summer 220 is coupled to a microcontroller 222.The timing of the correlators 218 is controlled by a clock 250. Thelocal clock timing adjustment is known as a local clock bias.

The PRN code used to form the GPS signal repeats every 1023 chips i.e.,one epoch. In one embodiment, to accurately correlate the signal, thecorrelation is performed in ½ chip intervals, i.e., requiring 2046delays. As such, if the entire code were to be correlated at once, 2046correlators 218 would be required for each of the I and Q signals.However, power consumption and circuit size restrictions presently makea processor having 4092 correlators impractical. As such, the GPSbaseband processor comprises less that 4092 correlators, e.g., 2046correlators with 1023 correlators used for I signal processing and 1023correlators used for Q signal processing. These 1023 correlators foreach I and Q signal are operated in accordance with the invention tofacilitate finding a high correlation result as described below.

The output of each processing channel 208 is coupled to themicroprocessor 222 for processing the parallel correlation results ofthe 2046 correlators of each processing channel. The microprocessor 222comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 224, support circuits 226, anda memory 228. The CPU 224 may be any form of microprocessor ormicrocontroller integrated circuit that is known in the art. The supportcircuits 226 are well known circuits for facilitating the operation ofthe CPU 224. The support circuits 226 include, for example, one or moreof the following: a cache, power supplies, clock circuits, input/outputcircuits, and the like. The memory 228 may be one or more of randomaccess memory, read only memory, flash memory, and the like. The memory228 may be used for storing correlation results as well as for storingexecutable software such as the correlation software 230.

The correlation software 230 processes the correlation results, controlsthe timing of the code NCO 216, as well as the timing of the clock 250that controls PRN code delay within the correlators 218. To facilitatefull convolution of an epoch of GPS signal using less than the number ofcorrelators available to perform the full convolution, the correlationsoftware must repeatedly utilize the correlators in a sequential mannerto compute a full convolution. However, a full convolution may not benecessary since a partial correlation result may be used for timingsynchronization. For example, if enough correlators are available tocorrelate signals in a half of an epoch, then the correlation software230 will delay the PRN code for 0 through 1023 half chips and perform acorrelation. If no signal is found then the PRN code will be delayed1024 through 2046 half chips and the correlation will be processed asecond time. The correlation will result in either the first half of anepoch, the second half of an epoch, or not at all in some instances whenno GPS signal is available. Once the delay is found that results in thecorrelation occurring either in the first half epoch or the second halfepoch, the timing of the PRN code can be adjusted thereafter such that acorrelation peak occurs for each epoch of GPS signal received. Once acorrelation peak is found in channel 208, then the timing parameters(e.g., which half epoch resulted in the correlation peak) can be used todetermine a timing parameter estimate (e.g., an estimate of clock biaswithin the clock 250) for the other channels 208 ₂. . . 208 _(n). Assuch, the aiding information is used in combination with the timingparameters of channel 208 ₁, to reduce the search range for the othersatellite signals. Using this method of deriving the timingsynchronization for the GPS receiver allows for timing synchronizationwithout computing an accurate pseudorange to the satellite.

In one embodiment of the invention, the correlators 218 during thesignal acquisition process used by channel 208 ₁ may accumulatecorrelation results for multiple epochs of the GPS signal, which repeatsat nominal 1 millisecond intervals. For example, if 10 milliseconds ofthe signal are processed, the output values are the sum of 10correlation results each generated over one epoch. All the individualcorrelations should have a similar characteristic, since the timing ofthe decimation operation ensures that samples are taken at the samerelative moment within each epoch. Accumulating similar results fromindividual correlations improves the signal to noise ratio, enhancingthe ability of the receiver to detect weak signals. This processing maybe referred to as coherent integration and can be combined withmagnitude integration to yield correlation results averaged over a timeperiod of up to several seconds.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of software for implementing a correlationmethod 300 of the present invention. The method 300 begins at step 302,and proceeds to step 303 wherein the method 300 selects a first GPSsatellite signal for processing, e.g., channel 208 ₁ is tuned to receivesignals from a first satellite. At step 304, the method 300 defines aperiod of correlation (“window”) equal to a range of delays within apredefined time period (i.e., a range of relative delays between thereceived satellite signal and the corresponding pseudorandom referencecode). For a GPS signal, the predefined time period is one epoch of 1023chips in length and the window is a portion of the epoch. For otherdigital signals, the predefined time period may other lengths of digitalcode. In one embodiment, the window is selected to be one-half of anepoch.

At step 306, the parallel correlators are used to correlate the receivedsatellite signal across the window defined at step 304, wherein a PRNreference code is delayed by a half a chip in each correlator. Asdescribed above, there are 1023 correlators that correlate on half chipincrements of the 1023 chips within the PRN code of the GPS signal. Atstep 308, the method 300 queries whether a correlation peak was foundwithin the half epoch that was processed. If a high correlation peak wasfound, the method 300 proceeds to step 312, knowing that the PRN codeneeds to be delayed to a time within the half epoch. If the correlationpeak is not found in step 308, then the method 300 proceeds to step 310,where another window within the predefined time period is selected(i.e., another range of delays). For example, the window selected atstep 310 may be the second half of the epoch. The method 300 thenproceeds to step 306, where the correlation is repeated for the newlyselected window. In this manner, the PRN code phase delay or timing canbe determined to within a half epoch without computing an accuratepseudorange to the first satellite.

At step 312, timing parameters are determined and used to correlateother GPS satellite signals. Notably, each processing channel 208 ₂through 208 _(n) will perform a correlation using the timing parametersof the first channel in combination with the aiding information. Morespecifically, the result of the first channel is used to bound the clock250 in the GPS receiver, e.g., a delay range is known to be in the halfepoch. The method 300 ends at step 314.

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to awindow equal to one half of an epoch, those skilled in the art willrealize that other windows or range of delays may be used to performcorrelation of a digital signal. For example, with a GPS epoch being1023 chips long, if the correlation period were one fourth of an epoch,where 512 correlators were used in the correlation method of FIG. 3,then 512 correlations would be performed at most four times to identifywhich one fourth of an epoch the correlation occurs. As such the timingparameter, e.g., the local clock bias, would be found to an accuracy ofwithin one fourth of an epoch. Other alternative techniques may be usedto perform the timing estimation. Such procedures include using a halfepoch correlation period that is staggered by one third of an epoch,using a period of one third of an epoch, and so on.

FIGS. 4A-4D graphically depict an exemplary process for performingsignal correlation in accordance with the invention. FIG. 4A depicts apredefined period 402 having 2046 samples of 1023 PN code chips. FIG. 4Bdepicts two correlation periods 406 and 408 used to correlate in halfepoch increments. In the present example, a correlation performed withinthe period 406 produces noise (i.e., a correlation is not present withinthe first half epoch). A shown in FIG. 4C, a correlation is thenperformed within the period 408 to produce a high correlation output(i.e., a correlation is present within the second half epoch). Forexample, a plurality of high correlation peaks 410 resulting fromrepeated correlations during the second half epoch of the signal areshown. Generally, the software as described above will integrate anumber of correlation results to achieve an accurate correlation peak412, as depicted in FIG. 4D. The peak 412 clearly shows that the PRNcode phase is estimated to be within the second half epoch. As such, atiming parameter may be derived and used in combination with the aidinginformation to receive other GPS signals from other satellites. As such,signal acquisition may be performed without determining an accuratepseudorange to the satellite.

Although various embodiments, which incorporate the teachings of thepresent invention have been shown and described in detail herein, thoseskilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments thatstill incorporate these teachings.

1. A method of correlating digital communications signals by a receiverat a location, said method comprising: (a) dividing an epoch of saiddigital communication signals into multiple window portions wherein thewindow portions are defined independently of an expected location ofsaid receiver; (b) correlating a first of said digital communicationsignals across a first of the window portions; (c) identifying whether acorrelation peak results from said correlating; (d) repeating steps (b)and (c) for at least another of the multiple window portions if thecorrelation peak is not found during (c), until the correlation peak isfound during (c); and (d) establishing timing parameters for receivingat least another of said digital communication signals based on theportion of the epoch associated with the window portion containing thecorrelation peak and aiding information dependent of the expectedlocation of said receiver.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said windowportions are half of said epoch.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein saidwindow portions are a quarter of said epoch.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein said window portions are a third of said epoch.
 5. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the digital communication signals are GPS satellitesignals.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first digitalcommunication signal is a GPS satellite signal transmitted from a firstsatellite, and the timing parameters are established in a secondreceiver channel used to receive a GPS satellite signal from a secondsatellite.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said window portions aredefined in said dividing step by: dividing said epoch into multipleportions; and (a) selecting said first window portion from said multiplewindow portions.
 8. An apparatus for correlating a digital communicationsignals at a location, comprising: a divider for dividing an epoch ofsaid digital communication signals into multiple window portions definedindependently of an expected location of said apparatus; a correlatorfor correlating a first of said digital communication signals across afirst of the window portions; and a microcontroller for identifyingwhether a correlation peak results from said correlating, for causing acorrelation of at least another of the multiple window portions by thecorrelator if the correlation peak is not found, and for establishingtiming parameters for receiving at least another of the digitalcommunication signals based on the portion of the epoch associated withthe window portion containing the correlation peak and aidinginformation dependent of the expected location of said apparatus.
 9. Theapparatus of claim 8, wherein said first digital communication signal isa GPS satellite signal transmitted from a first satellite, and saidtiming parameters are established in a second receiver channel used toreceive a GPS satellite signal from a second satellite.
 10. A method ofcalculating a position of a receiver in a positioning system comprisinga plurality of satellites, said method comprising: dividing an epoch fora digital communication signal form a first one of the plurality ofsatellites into multiple window portions at the receiver; correlatingsaid digital communication signal from the first one of the plurality ofsatellites across a first of the window portions; identifying whether acorrelation peak results from said correlating; repeating thecorrelating and identifying steps for at least another of the multiplewindow portions if the correlation peak is not found during identifying,until the correlation peak is found during identifying; and establishingtiming parameters for receiving additional digital communication signalsfrom other ones of the plurality of satellites based on the portion ofthe epoch associated with the window portion containing the correlationpeak and aiding information dependent of the expected location of saidreceiver; wherein the window portions are defined independent of anexpected location of the receiver.
 11. The method of claim 10, whereinsaid window portions are half of said epoch.
 12. The method of claim 10,wherein said window portions are a quarter of said epoch.
 13. The methodof claim 10, wherein said window portions are a third of said epoch. 14.The method of claim 10, wherein the digital communication signal is aGPS satellite signal transmitted from a first satellite, and the timingparameters are established in a second receiver channel used to receivea GPS satellite signal from a second satellite.
 15. The method of claim10, wherein said window portions are defined in said dividing step by:dividing said epoch into multiple portions; and selecting said firstwindow portion from said multiple window portions.
 16. An apparatus foruse in calculating a position of a receiver, in a positioning systemcomprising a plurality of satellites, said apparatus comprising: adivider for dividing an epoch of a digital communication signal from afirst one of the plurality of satellites into multiple window portions;a correlator for correlating the digital communication signal across afirst of the window portions; and a microcontroller for identifyingwhether a correlation peak results from said correlating, for causing acorrelation of at least another of the multiple window portions by thecorrelator if the correlation peak is not found, and for establishingtiming parameters for receiving additional digital communication signalsfrom other ones of the plurality of satellites based on the portion ofthe epoch associated with the window portion containing the correlationpeak and aiding information dependent of the expected location of saidreceiver; and wherein the window portions are defined independent of anexpected location of the receiver.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16,wherein the window portions are defined prior to determining accuratetime of day.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the window portions aredefined independently of accurate time of day.
 19. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the window portions are defined independently ofaccurate time of day.
 20. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein thecorrelator correlates the first of said digital communication signalsprior to correlating any other digital communication signal from asatellite by said apparatus.